Just when I thought those retards had sunk as low as they possibly could, I read this in the National Post... 
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=74d41294-b9ff-4a67-a7c5-fb47c275c2ce&k=12583
'Sleazy' call made from Liberal riding office
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Font: * * * * Melissa Leong, National Post; with files from CanWest News Service
Published: Friday, January 20, 2006
Saskatchewan MP Maurice Vellacott is accusing his Liberal opponent of "sleazy" tactics, after a call to an on-air election forum alleging the Tory was once charged with sexual assault was traced back to local Liberal headquarters.
Liberal candidate Chris Axworthy said he regretted the accusation against his opponent, but suggested the call might have been made by a "mischief-maker" who "misused one of our phones."
Shaw Cable aired on Tuesday a program that featured all five candidates in Saskatoon-Wanuskewin. A caller asked Mr. Vellacott if he had ever been "removed from North Park Church" because he was charged with sexually abusing the church secretary.
The television station provided Mr. Vellacott with the number of the caller. The number is the campaign office of Mr. Axworthy.
"It's quite a jolt when I've served in public life over many years, I've served as a pastor ... [and] I've served as a college teacher," Mr. Vellacott said. "My record is clear and clean like an open book."
Mr. Vellacott said he has never been accused by any woman of sexual assault and said he was never a pastor at the church or ever attended the church.
He said he is having discussions with his lawyers about launching a defamation lawsuit.
Mr. Axworthy condemned the attacks against Mr. Vellacott, but said he did not know who made the call.
"It should be noted that my campaign headquarters is subject to heavy public traffic including a public space used by a bank machine. It is quite possible that a mischief-maker entered the headquarters and misused one of our phones," Mr. Axworthy said in a written release yesterday.
"In as much as it appears that our phones were misused and that the comments were hurtful to Mr. Vellacott, I offer my heartfelt apologies."
Douglas Richardson, co-chairman of the Liberal campaign in Saskatchewan, said dozens of people were at the headquarters at the time of the television show and a stranger could have used one of the dozen phones in the office.
Mr. Vellacott said he has been informed that someone recognized the voice of the caller as a worker in Mr. Axworthy's campaign office. However, Mr. Axworthy said this individual "steadfastly denies any involvement."
Mr. Axworthy also vehemently denied putting anyone up to the task.
"Absolutely not," he said. "If any campaign was to do anything of this sort, would they be stupid enough to use their own phone numbers. It's nothing I condone. I would never support it under any circumstances at all."
A spokesman for Shaw Cable in Saskatchewan confirmed the telephone number and said that while it does not regularly track numbers, the operator, who screens all calls, copied the number as it appeared on caller ID.
When told Shaw Cable had confirmed the number of the call was that of Mr. Axworthy's campaign office, he reiterated his promise to find the person responsible.
"If it came from our campaign, and we'll take Shaw Cable's word for that, they have the number, we'll find out who it was, if we can, and we'll make sure that person doesn't participate again," he said.
"This is the desperation of the Liberals in their last days," Mr. Vellacott said. "They have to defend a pathetic record and they do sleazy tactics of this sort."
The "scurrilous" behaviour must be responded to, he added. "I anticipate to be in public life for some years down the road and I will not allow this kind of defamatory stuff [to] happen in my name and in my reputation, for the sake of our campaign team, for the sake of staff members, for the sake of my precious wife, my two married children, and my two young boys," Mr. Vellacott said. "I will not tolerate that kind of stuff."
In the June, 2004, election, Mr. Vellacott beat Mr. Axworthy by 4,556 votes.
© National Post 2006
Three more days...just THREE MORE DAYS!
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=74d41294-b9ff-4a67-a7c5-fb47c275c2ce&k=12583
'Sleazy' call made from Liberal riding office
Article Tools
Printer friendly
Font: * * * * Melissa Leong, National Post; with files from CanWest News Service
Published: Friday, January 20, 2006
Saskatchewan MP Maurice Vellacott is accusing his Liberal opponent of "sleazy" tactics, after a call to an on-air election forum alleging the Tory was once charged with sexual assault was traced back to local Liberal headquarters.
Liberal candidate Chris Axworthy said he regretted the accusation against his opponent, but suggested the call might have been made by a "mischief-maker" who "misused one of our phones."
Shaw Cable aired on Tuesday a program that featured all five candidates in Saskatoon-Wanuskewin. A caller asked Mr. Vellacott if he had ever been "removed from North Park Church" because he was charged with sexually abusing the church secretary.
The television station provided Mr. Vellacott with the number of the caller. The number is the campaign office of Mr. Axworthy.
"It's quite a jolt when I've served in public life over many years, I've served as a pastor ... [and] I've served as a college teacher," Mr. Vellacott said. "My record is clear and clean like an open book."
Mr. Vellacott said he has never been accused by any woman of sexual assault and said he was never a pastor at the church or ever attended the church.
He said he is having discussions with his lawyers about launching a defamation lawsuit.
Mr. Axworthy condemned the attacks against Mr. Vellacott, but said he did not know who made the call.
"It should be noted that my campaign headquarters is subject to heavy public traffic including a public space used by a bank machine. It is quite possible that a mischief-maker entered the headquarters and misused one of our phones," Mr. Axworthy said in a written release yesterday.
"In as much as it appears that our phones were misused and that the comments were hurtful to Mr. Vellacott, I offer my heartfelt apologies."
Douglas Richardson, co-chairman of the Liberal campaign in Saskatchewan, said dozens of people were at the headquarters at the time of the television show and a stranger could have used one of the dozen phones in the office.
Mr. Vellacott said he has been informed that someone recognized the voice of the caller as a worker in Mr. Axworthy's campaign office. However, Mr. Axworthy said this individual "steadfastly denies any involvement."
Mr. Axworthy also vehemently denied putting anyone up to the task.
"Absolutely not," he said. "If any campaign was to do anything of this sort, would they be stupid enough to use their own phone numbers. It's nothing I condone. I would never support it under any circumstances at all."
A spokesman for Shaw Cable in Saskatchewan confirmed the telephone number and said that while it does not regularly track numbers, the operator, who screens all calls, copied the number as it appeared on caller ID.
When told Shaw Cable had confirmed the number of the call was that of Mr. Axworthy's campaign office, he reiterated his promise to find the person responsible.
"If it came from our campaign, and we'll take Shaw Cable's word for that, they have the number, we'll find out who it was, if we can, and we'll make sure that person doesn't participate again," he said.
"This is the desperation of the Liberals in their last days," Mr. Vellacott said. "They have to defend a pathetic record and they do sleazy tactics of this sort."
The "scurrilous" behaviour must be responded to, he added. "I anticipate to be in public life for some years down the road and I will not allow this kind of defamatory stuff [to] happen in my name and in my reputation, for the sake of our campaign team, for the sake of staff members, for the sake of my precious wife, my two married children, and my two young boys," Mr. Vellacott said. "I will not tolerate that kind of stuff."
In the June, 2004, election, Mr. Vellacott beat Mr. Axworthy by 4,556 votes.
© National Post 2006
Three more days...just THREE MORE DAYS!
